Two MCI officials booked on corruption charges

FIR says accused embezzled millions of rupees by tampering with official documents

ISLAMABAD:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has registered an FIR against two officers of the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI)’s Directorate of Municipal Administration for embezzling millions of rupees, in alleged connivance with a contractor, from the funds, meant for the inauguration of Green Line, Blue Line and Orange Line in Islamabad.

The FIA Anti-Corruption Circle registered a case against former Director of the Directorate of Municipal Administration Shakeel Ahmed, Deputy Director Muhammad Asif and contractor “Misses Service Factory” owner Atifullah for causing millions of rupees loss to the exchequer through fraud and tampering with official records.

The MCI had asked the FIA to register an FIR against its officers involved in the corruption of funds.

After an initial inquiry, the FIA filed the FIR on a complaint of MCI Administrator Irfan Nawaz Memon.

According to the MCI complaint, a file titled “Decoration/Indoor Venue Arrangement of Green Line, Blue Line, and Orange Line Metro Bus Route on 29-6-2022” was initiated on 2-07-2022 by Admin Officer Awais.

The file was duly forwarded by Assistant Director Liaquat, Deputy Director Muhammad Asif, and Director Shakeel Arshad, for seeking administrative approval. The file received approval on 2-7-2022.

The complaint said that the file was returned to the director and it was forwarded to Deputy Financial Adviser by Deputy Director Muhammad Asif, and Director Shakeel Arshad, through Chief Officer Captain (r) Syed Ali Asghar, seeking allocation of Rs19.9 million. The funds were approved on 14-9-2022.

Surprisingly, the complaint said, another file with the same title was initiated by using the photocopy of the original file on 9-9-2022.

It said that Deputy Director Muhammad Asif and Director Shakeel Arshad forwarded the second file to Finance Wing on the same day, seeking an allocation of Rs9.8 million. These funds were also approved on 14-9-2022.

The complaint said that the second file was manipulated by the accused officers by using a photocopy of the original file. It said that the account officer pre-audited and passed files of both bills, resulting in the release of payment to the contractor and the payment was made to the contractor by the director of MCI.

It said that the bills sent to the audit section were prepared and signed by DDO, DMA Irfan Khan while the manipulations were not checked and double payment was made by using a photocopy of administrative approval.

The MCI complaint had requested the FIA that the case should be investigated against the officers.

A case has been registered against Shakeel Arshad, Muhammad Asif, Atifullah, owner of Misses The Service Factory Pvt under Sections 409, 420, 468, 471 and 109 PPC and 5(2) PCA 1947. The FIR stated that the role of officers including Capt (retd) Syed Ali Asghar, MCI Chief Officer Chaudhry Shahid, other officers including Salim Minhas, Zubair Hussain, Liaquat, Owais, Muhammad Shiraz and others will be determined during the investigation.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2023.